The intake manifold, compound...
The intake manifold, compound turbochargers, nitrous setup, exhaust manifold, and intercooler all had to be custom made.
Up front, Joe removed the 12-valve engine and tore it apart. He sent the block to Hans Racing where it was cleaned and machined. The stock crank and rods were retained and Mahle oversized pistons were used. In 2001 there were not a lot of options for engine parts, so Hellmann had to call all over the country to find what he needed. He picked up a set of competition injectors and an injection pump from Dynomite Diesel Performance, and a custom camshaft, pushrods, and springs from Enterprise Engine Performance. With the parts assembled, Joe put everything back together (including the stock, non-ported head) and started building a custom set of twins. First, Joe fabricated an exhaust manifold out of 2-inch tubing to mount the turbochargers. Once that was finished, a set of Holset turbochargers was added, and together, they pressurize the Cummins to more than 100 psi.
With that much boost, Hellmann knew the air was going to be pretty hot. He experimented with air-to-air and air-to-water intercoolers before finally settling with his own custom-built air-to-air intercooler and intake manifold. Joe started playing with nitrous and quickly found that this was a key to big power. In 2003, when he was running against all of the gasoline vehicles, he was racing one of the few diesels that was running nitrous. Although his nitrous system has changed over the years, his current setup is a two-stage kit by Cold Fusion. When everything is being pushed to its max, this combination puts down 1,000 horsepower at 3,500 rpm and 1,750 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. Holding this much power isn't easy, and in 2001, there was only one choice for Joe: Sun Coast Converters. A custom stall converter, valvebody, and performance clutches were all used, but no billet shafts were installed because none were available back then. Selecting gears was made easy thanks to the B&M shifter mounted on the floorboard.
The interior of the truck is pretty straightforward. Power windows and locks were retained as well as the carpet, door panels, headliner, dash, and steering wheel. Joe swapped the two front seats with Corbeau racing seats with G-Force four-point racing seatbelts. On the passenger-side floorboard is an Edelbrock data logger and nitrous bottle. A nitrous gauge is mounted on the custom shifter pedestal as well as the nitrous purge and arming switches. On top of the dash there are EGT and Boost gauges by EEP as well as a shift light.
Today, most of this technology is somewhat outdated, but that hasn't stopped Joe from being a solid contender, as his truck runs consistent 10-second passes in the quarter-mile. In 2006, he was the Number-three qualifier in the Pro Street class at the DHRA Nationals in Baytown, Texas, before the finals were rained out.
 A rollcage is a welcome safety...  A rollcage is a welcome safety addition in a truck this fast. |  A custom raised shifter pedestal...  A custom raised shifter pedestal was made to put the shifter within easy reach. |  Gauges from Enterprise Engine...  Gauges from Enterprise Engine Performance help Joe keep an eye on things. |
 Prior to becoming a professional...  Prior to becoming a professional fabricator, Joe was a pipeline welder. As such, he made quick work of fabricating a T-4 exhaust manifold and turbo setup. |  An Edelbrock data logger helps...  An Edelbrock data logger helps Joe refine his combination every time he takes his truck to the track. |  A Mitsua belt-driven fuel...  A Mitsua belt-driven fuel pump is used to supply the modified injection pump with the required fuel. |